Russian lawmakers gave preliminary approval Friday to a 25 percent hike in defense spending -- a sharp increase for Russia's military that comes only a month after it crushed Georgia on the battlefield.

Russian lawmakers gave preliminary approval Friday to a 2009 budget that calls for a 25% hike in defense spending a sharp increase for Russia's military that comes only a month after it crushed Georgia on the battlefield.

Talks on sending more OSCE monitors to Georgia deadlocked Thursday over Russia's refusal to let monitors into South Ossetia, and France's foreign minister said the world should not expect Russia to pull out of Georgia's two breakaway provinces anytime soon.

Talks on sending more OSCE monitors to Georgia deadlocked Thursday over Russia's refusal to let monitors into South Ossetia, and France's foreign minister said the world should not expect Russia to pull out of Georgia's two breakaway provinces anytime soon.

Descendants of President James Madison and the slaves who lived on his plantation joined U.S. Supreme Court justices and politicians on Wednesday to celebrate the end of a five-year, $24 million architectural renovation.